Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen made the call at the forty-fourth annual meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Member States of the G-77 held on Thursday. 

The Foreign Minister highlighted Bangladesh’s comprehensive response plan with a stimulus package of around US$ 14.14 billion (4.3% of GDP) to secure lives and livelihoods of people to minimise  the impact of the pandemic under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He also talked about the potential loss of global economy and simultaneous social costs due to Covid-19 which would be almost impossible to quantify. 

Dr Momen also referred to the Rohingya crisis that has caused double jeopardy for Bangladesh in tandem with the pandemic and heavily disrupted its phenomenal success towards achieving the SDGs. 

He said: “Covid-19 response and recovery process provides us with an opportunity to work together and response collectively for building a more sustainable and resilient world.”

Dr Momen emphasised the significance of ensuring equitable access to safe, effective and affordable Covid-19 vaccines and other preventive tools in his remarks. 

In a virtual platform, Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Group of 77 and China met on the occasion of their forty-fourth annual meeting and discussed the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, challenges faced by developing countries in the economic, social and environmental areas. 

The Group of 77 (G-77) was established on 15 June 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries. 

Although the members of the G-77 have increased to 134 countries, the original name was retained due to its historic significance.

Also read: Global Covid-19 deaths near 1.3 million